LIVES are at risk because St John Ambulance is sending student crews to emergency situations, paramedics warn.

Territory paramedic Peter Jones revealed that four of the five ambulances servicing Darwin and Palmerston on the Thursday night shift were without a qualified paramedic.

St John Ambulance director of paramedics Michael McKay confirmed this yesterday, but added that an additional intensive care paramedic team had been available as backup on the night.

However Mr Jones said the backup system could cause delays, particularly in a high trauma situation.

"I don't think people in the Northern Territory should put up with waiting for their treatment," Mr Jones said.

"Ideally every ambulance should be manned by one qualified paramedic. Students are just not trained to the heightened level of a paramedic.

"They are unable to administer some pain relief drugs and need authorisation to perform three sometimes critical procedures. In some circumstances this could put a patient's life at risk."

Paramedics are in the middle of EBA negotiations with St John, and earlier this month voted overwhelmingly to take protected industrial action.

Four ambulances service the Darwin and Palmerston areas on a 24-hour, seven-day-a week basis, with one additional carrier used Monday to Friday from 3-11pm. Mr Jones said this ambulance was always manned by students.

He said only one intensive care paramedic, one qualified paramedic and nine student paramedics had manned the Thursday night shift.

"Not all jobs are critical and life-threatening, but when it is would you like your treatment delayed?" said Mr Jones.

Comments on this story

Johnny Degaf of Darwin Posted at 9:13 PM February 25, 2014

Further To the ex copper letter the same applies to the NT Fire Service the middle to senior management have become inept, lack of vision, poor management practices and the old jobs for the boys it's no wonder many Firies Cops and ambos are choosing to leave for interstate

Excopper Posted at 4:58 PM February 24, 2014

The nt police have been using l-plate crews for years... I was one of them!! Infact I was a senior member only three months out of college still on probation!!! The blind leading the blind!! And we had guns!! When will the nt government wake up to all of this crap? No wonder the "services" are constantly under scrutiny and most of the time it's fair criticism covered up by corrupt Stone Age members!!! Get rid of the members that should be in a nursing home and get some fresh blood into the place!!

Salty of NT Posted at 10:22 AM February 24, 2014

Operational work in St John's is one of the most stressful professions around today. Most people don't understand nor could do this kind of work. They are underpaid in comparison to other professions. I know of a few former members of St. John's who had literally burn out within the first 5 years of work and move on to less stressful profession. They are under valued If they were to walked of the job in the Territory today We would be in trouble.